Jason Becker
Jason Becker ( born July 22, 1969) is an American guitarist, most notably the so-called neo-classical metal. He is also known as a celebrity who is affected by ALS, a degenerative disease of the motor nervous system.
Style
Like many other neoclassical guitarists (such as Yngwie Malmsteen ) studied the works of Niccolò Paganini Becker, whose 5th Caprice (original in A Minor, he played in D minor ) he adapted later for his instructional video. Becker uses in his game very fast played scales and arpeggios along with sweep picking to imitate figural pieces from the Baroque can.
Career
At the age of 16, he became a member of the produced by Mike Varney duo Cacophony, in which Becker's friend and later guitarist of Megadeth, Marty Friedman participated. Together they released the album Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988 ), which they presented to a wider public as a virtuoso of guitar playing. The two toured together by Japan and the United States. After Becker left the duo to start a solo career in 1988 with his first album Perpetual Burn.
ALS diagnosis
A short time later, at the age of 20 years, Becker has been included in David Lee Roth's band and played their album A Little Is not Enough a. During the recording, he felt a he felt that " limp hanging" of his left leg. A study of short time later revealed the diagnosis amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in the United States also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the German -born athletes and carriers of disease Lou Gehrig. Jason Becker was provided a survival time of 5 years in view. The inclusion of the plate, which later reached gold status, he could finish only with great effort and, using special equipment, in the ensuing tour had to be canceled already his participation.
Perspective and The Berry Jams
Becker, published in 1996, the instrumental album called Perspective, which was composed to on Bob Dylan's title Meet Me in the Morning by him. With the disease progresses, however, he was no longer able to play guitar later. Instead, it uses a keyboard for writing music. When he no longer was also physically capable, his friend and music producer Mike Bemesderfer helped him with a special computer that allows you to compose music with movement of the head and the eyes. This allowed Becker further work with music, even though he had already lost most of the motor control over his body.
Becker can not talk now, but communicates with the eyes by a system developed by his father system. Although physically very limited, he shares on the back of his CD Perspective with: " I have ALS. It has destroyed my body, but not my head. "
Some years later, Jason Becker released the albums Raspberry Jams (1999) and Blackberry Jams ( 2003). 2008 " Best of Jason Becker " album came out with the name Collection, the new and unreleased tracks including Beckers, including the song River of Longing with Greg Howe.
Meanwhile, published two tribute albums to Jason Becker called Warmth in the Wilderness I and Warmth in the Wilderness II, where honor guitarists such as Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Rusty Cooley, and Mattias "IA" Eklundh Jason Becker with pieces that either he played in his career or they themselves wrote for him. The proceeds of the album went to Becker to help him with his illness.
2008 Paradise Guitars guitar manufacturer brought a so-called " Jason Becker Signature Model " guitar on the market.
Future
Jason and his friend, actor Matt Schulze, plan to make a film about Becker's life. This is the title of Mr. Tambourine Man wearing. According to Jason Becker's official website, the company will manufacture Fender and Charvel guitars for the movie and sell a certain number of them.
Discography
Solo
- Perpetual Burn ( 1988)
- Perspective (1996 )
- The Raspberry Jams (1999)
- The Blackberry Jams (2003)
- Collection ( 2008) with Greg Howe
Cacophony
- Speed Metal Symphony (1987 )
- Go Off! (1988)
David Lee Roth
- A Little Is not Enough (1991 )
Instructional video
- Hot Licks - The Legendary Guitar of Jason Becker
Documentation
- Not Dead Yet (2012 )